The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1887-09-23
A LUCKY ESCAPE.
Two Dozen Masked Men of Lake Orystal
Start Out With Rope
In Search Of r. J. Sylvester, Imbued
With the Idea that He Is an
Incendlary.

The usually quiet and law-abIding viii
lage of Lake Crystal was the scene last
evening of much excitement. From Mr..
Frank Russell, of this city, we CLEAN the
essential points connected with the af-
fair.
The readers of the FREE PRESS are all
familiar with what is termed the Cray
Sylvester difficulty. These gentlemen
are brothers-in-law, having we'd sisters,
and something over year ago trouble
arose which resulted in Sylvester attack
ing Cray, the latter retaliated with a
slight dose of cold lead in self defense.
The recent disastrous fire at the Lake,
which is deplored by all citizens of the
county, has stirred the blood of the res
idents of that village, as it was evidently
the work of an incendiary. Suspicion
lodged upon Sylvester, and acting upon
the impulse of the moment posse of
twenty-five residents masked them
selves about ten o'clock last night and
wendell their way to Postmaster Kelly's
store, where Sylvester was engaged as a
clerk. Upon the mob's approaching
the store a most unearthly scream rang
out upon the ears of the villagers, ema-
mating from woman, the wife of the
man sought. The indignant posse as
sembled upon the walk in front of
the store, but not an audible word
was uttered. Mr.. Kelly Immediately
guessed the cause of their visit, as he
had been told in the morning that Syl-
vester must be discharged from his en-
ploy or it would cause trouble. Mr.. K.
therefore informed Sylvester in the
morning that the feeling against him
was so intense that he was obliged to
give him his time. At the time of the
visit Sylvester was in the store and when
the masked men approached he turned
liyid hue and almost wilted.
Mr.. Kelly is nervy fellow
and stepping to the front demand the
would-be avengers to depart. Not acting
upon his suggestion he called upon the
marshal to arrest the intruders, but the
cautious official refused to do 80, claim
ing that no breach of the peace had oc-
Cured In the mean time
Sylvester vanished from view.
Soon thereafter the crowd began
to dissemble, and in few mo-
ments all was quiet again.
From different sources we heard that
the object of the masked men was really
not to hang Sylvester, but rather to give
him good choking and see if he could
not be made to yield up some important
information connected with the origin of
the fire, if not to give him few hours
in which to leave the city. One thing
seems quite clear at this distance, and
that is that Mr.. Sylvester, howev-
er innocent he may be, mad best seek
other and more congenial chimes. To
continue to reside in community where
so much feeling against him exists is
simply to expose himself to constant
danger. The world is too WIDE for man
to do this in the face of such an emphat-
ic warming as was administered last
night.
LATER--sYLvEsTER HOLDS THE FORT.
Sheriff Piper returned from Lake Crys-
tai this noon. He says that Sylvester
has appealed to the authorities for pro-
lection. He says that he is innocent,
proposes to stay at Lake Crystal, and
demands to be protected in his rights.